Heat exchanger



Aug. 13, 1929.

H. HENDERSON ET AL HEAT EXCHANGER Filed Sept. 4, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet l v gmanoz /v/E/FBER Alla J6 Th2-059mg itl/L6. GLAS sow,

ugi3, 1929- H. HENDERSON ET AL 3,724,351

HEAT EXCHANGER Filed Sept. 4, 1926A `5 Sheets-Sheet 2 gym/nto@ ug- 13, 1929- I H. HENDERSON ET m. 1,724,351

HEAT EXCHANGE R Filed Sept. 4, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 m attorney iieie Aiig; 13, 1929.

HERE'HT HENDERSON AND JOHN G. GLASGOW, or PoRT ARTHUnTxAS, AssI'oNoRs. Y To GULF REFINING coMrANin-or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION F TEXAS.

HEAT EXCHANGER.

Appncation ined sepfemher 4, 1:52a. serial No. 133,612.

This invention' relates to heat exchangers and specifically to a heat exchanger comprising a fixed casing through which a fluid 1s circulated,.a plurality of tubes extending axially of said casing through which another fluid is conducted, said tubes being: fixedly attached, at one end, to lsaid casmg and at their other ends being afiixed to a flanged tube plate to which a cover plate is-- detachably secured. The flanged tube plate and cover form a floating head which -is movableA relative-tothe casing whereby said tubescan expand or contractindependently Y of said casing. Means are provided coact- V ing With said floating head and casing per? mitti 0' movement of one relative to the othern) 0 therebetween; all as more fully hereinafter A set forth and as claimed.

In heat exchangers the tubes are subject to expansion and contraction due to changes -in their temperature. It has accordingly been proposed to provide a floating head for such tubes to permit' of their expansion and contraction independently of the casing or shell within which they are mounted to thus prevent warping of. the tubes or bursting of the shell. One fluid is conducted through the tubes of the exchanger and a second fluid of different temperature is circulated; through the `casing around the `tubes. It is imperative that no leaks occur whiclrwould .permit commingling of the different fluids, and they must. therefore be .kept separated While at the same time a relative .movement of the parts of the heat exchanger is permitted. The present invention accomplishes this by the provision of a metallic bellows which 'is fastened at one end tothe fixed shell of the exchanger, and at itsother end to the floating head. Packing is interposed between the cover plate and the flange of the tubeplate, and likewise between the cover plate and the bellows at its point of attachment thereto. Thus, when the tubes expand and the face plate and floating head move.

the bellows will be expanded but regardless of the amount of expansion, a fluid tight seal is alwa s provided.

y It is an oli' a heat exchanger comprising a casing and tubes therein with means for permittingex-` ut maintaining a fluid tight seal.

Ject of our invention to provide pansion of the tubes relativeto thel casing,

yetl maintaining a fluid'tight seal between them. Other and further objects will be z apparent from the following description and l,

lthe drawings in which:

Figure l' is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of one end of a heatexchanger showing 1 en one embodiment of our, invention.

Figure 2 is a ,sectional view of a mod1fied form ofstructure showing one end of a heat exchanger.

Figure A3 is. an endview of-the modified]l form of heat exchanger shown in Figure, A Figure "4 1s a sectional view of an jentnsq r heat exchanger.-

A fixed casing 1` vhas mounted i i a plurality or tubes 2 which 'are' fxedlyyA attached to it at one end (not shown) and at their other ends are securely affixed .to

a support ortube. plate 3 which l--is formed with an integral flange 4. A cover plate 5 is detachably secured to the flange of-the.

tube plate as by bolts 6 and is provided with an opening 7 for the introduction of a vfluid l into the tubes. The tube plate v3, flange .4

and cover 5 form a floating head `whichis (A ring; 8 surrounds the flange 4 and y1s secured lto free to move relative to the casing.

the cover 5 by means of bolts 9. Packing "i 10 and 11 is interposed betweenthecover 5 and the ring and flange respectively. Ring. 8 has aflixed thereto a metallic bellows 12the opposite end of which is'secured, as by bolts 13, to a flange 14 screwed upon or otherwisev l aflixed to the casing of the exchanger.

. A modified construction is shown in Figures. 2 Iand 3 wherein the lixedcasing 1.5 has a plurality of tubes 16 extending-therethrough, securely fixed at one end (not l' shown) to the casing and at their other ends to a support4 or tube' plate 17 having an integral flange 18 similar to that here, inbefore described. A flanged member 19 is aixed -to the casing at its end and is internally grooved as at 2O for the recep tion of a packing 21, compressed by a gland 22. which Ais adjusted by a series of bolts 23. The member. 19 is further provided with spaced radial projections 24 bored tol receive guides 25 which are adapted to extend Y through openings in a cover plate 26. The v A:cover plate isldetachably secured to flange 18 by a plurality of bolts 27. In this construction the packing 21 provides. an elii- `cient seal against leakage of fluid to the outs1de of :the exchanger or`1ts 'commingling by assisting in sup orting the weight theretamination of the liquids treated by tight` of, they prolong tie life of the packing by preventing its uneven wear. When, however. the packing becomes worn or loose any.'

leakage which occurs will be at once discovered becausel it will be tisible onthe outside of the'exchan'ger, and can consequently be remedied without loss or conening of the gland or replacement of the packing. f y

From the foregoing it will-be apparent that we have provided a simple-and efficient heat exchanger, ivhich permits of expansion and contraction of thetubes relative to a fixed outer shell or casing, but which prevents leakage and the commim gling of separated bodies of fluid.

lVhat we claim is 1'- l l; A heat exchanger comprising a fixed casing. a series of tubes extending axially of said casing and fixedly att-ached thereto at one end, a flanged tube plate at the opposite end of said 'casing in which the ends of the tubes are fixedly mounted, a cover platedetachably secured tothe flange of said tube plate, and an expansible bellows fastened to said cover plate and fixed casing to permit -expansion and contraction` of said tubes within the casing yet maintaining a4 fluid-tight -seal between them.

iv. A heatexchanger comprising a fixed casing,a series otubes 1n said-casing fixedly attachedthereto at one end, a tube plate in which the opposite ends of said tubes are fixed. saidtube plate being flanged to extend beyond the end of the casing, a removable cover plate secured to the flange of said tube plate thereby forming a floatl l)through said projections.

ing head, Ya metal bellows -fastened at onev end to theA end of said casing and at its other end to said: floatinghead whereby-expansion and contraction of the `tubes causes expansion and contraction of the bellows thus permitting the tubes to move relatively vto theA casing but maintaining a fluid-tight seal therebetween.

3. A heat exchanger comprising a fixed casing, a series' of tubes extending through said casing and fixedly attached thereto at one end, a ianged tube plate at the other end of said casing in which the ends of the tubes are fixedly mounted,.said tube ,plate being movable relative tothe casing on expansion and contraction of the tubes, a cover plate detachably secured to the flange of said tube plate, and means fixed to. the exterior ofsaid casing and to said cover plate and cooperating with said tube plate'for maintaining fluid-tight seal between said casing and vtube plate.

4:.V A heat exchanger comprising a casing through which a fluid is circulated, a series of tubes in said casing through which another fluid is circulated, apsupport for the ends of said tubes adapted to move relative to the casing when thetubes expand and contract, fluid' tight sealing means between said support and thel casing, radial projec' tions extending from the casing and from the cover plate. and guides extending 5. A heat exchanger comprising a casing through which fluid is circulated, radially extending arms connected to the casing, a series of tubes inside the casing, a support for the ends of the tubes adapted to move 4relative to the casing, radially extending arms attached tosaid4 support and in line with the arms of said casing and guide means arranged through the casing arms and the support arms whereby the arms of the tube supports may move over 'said guides when the tubes contract and expand.

In testimonyv whereof, we. have hereunto atlixed our signatures.

l HERBERT- HENDERSON. JOHN G. GLASGOW. 

